Is Trump making government better? I'll examine recent reforms and differing assessments to give you a balanced answer.
Whether Donald Trump is improving the US government depends on what metrics are used to define "improving" - supporters and critics point to different data:
Claims of Improvement Cited by the Administration and Supporters
The White House describes the period as "the most consequential stretch of governing in modern American history", citing:
•Border and immigration: The administration states it ended "catch-and-release" — and has not released a single illegal alien into the country for 15 straight months, and recorded negative net migration in 2025 for the first time in at least half a century.
•Crime: U.S. murder rate fell to a historic low in 2025 — the lowest level in 125 years — after the largest annual drop in violent crime in American history.
•Deregulation and energy: The government-wide deregulatory mandate is projected to save the U.S. economy $1.5 trillion in FY2026 alone. Other reporting notes the 2026 Regulatory Plan identified 702 existing rules slated for elimination, and the administration revoked the Obama-era Endangerment Finding — described as the single-largest deregulatory action in American history, worth $1.3 trillion.
•Government efficiency: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was established in the early months of the second Trump administration and initially led by Elon Musk to eliminate waste, fraud, and inefficiency. As of Jan. 1, 2026, DOGE reports $215 billion in savings, or roughly $1,335 per taxpayer. The White House also states efficiency reforms have already saved an estimated $215 billion and shrunk the federal workforce to its lowest level since 1966.
•Veterans services: The administration states the backlog of veterans waiting for benefits has dropped by 74%, and the VA reported slashing average processing times for disability claims from 141.5 days to 80.7 days since the start of the second administration.
Criticisms and Mixed Data Cited by Critics and Watchdogs
•Cost of workforce reduction: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated the Department of Government Efficiency spent an estimated $9.5 billion in 2025 paying federal employees not to work. Another report noted the administration spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government, a sixfold increase in paid leave salary costs compared to 2023.
•Durability of DOGE: By late 2025-2026, the Office of Personnel Management said DOGE is no longer a "centralized entity", with initial target of $2 trillion reduced to $150 billion before claiming $215 billion in savings.
•Concerns about institutions: Legal observers suggest that Trump's actions are reminiscent of tactics used by authoritarian regimes – undermining institutions that could provide checks on his authority. Other experts express alarm that the administration is undermining democratic institutions and norms through actions like interfering with independent economic bodies and threatening free expression. Related criticism includes that the administration fired civil servants en masse, undermining the independence of federal agencies.
Public Opinion Polling
Polling in 2026 shows low net approval:
•Averaged across major pollsters, approval is around 37.3% and disapproval around 60.2%
•A Reuters/Ipsos poll put approval at 32%, while a CNN-SSRS poll put it at 33%
In summary, administration sources point to measurable reductions in federal workforce size, regulatory burden, border crossings, crime rates, and veterans wait times as improvements in efficiency and service delivery, while watchdog reports and critics question net fiscal savings, long-term costs, and impacts on institutional norms and oversight.